I was a writer before I became a rabbi and High Holiday sermons usually come easily to me. Some years I have so many ideas and teachings and hopes to share that I accidentally write more sermons than I need to give.
I was born at the old St. Joseph’s Hospital on Linwood Boulevard and was fortunate to have been reared in an Orthodox Jewish family. When my parents brought me home from the hospital, I stopped breathing eight times and would have died had my father not instinctively thrown me into the air to catch my breath. Who would have thought I’d live this long?
Ben Mondry is the winner of the 2021 KC Lodge #184, B’nai Brith essay contest, which encompassed more than 50 area schools, churches, synagogues, and youth groups. The Blue Valley North graduating senior received $2,000 and will be attending the University of Kansas in the fall. His essay is below:
When Nazi tanks surrounded Warsaw, my father related in a rare moment of frustration, the Jews were in shul arguing over who should get “shishi” (the honor of being called up third to the Torah).
(JTA) — The ancestry of the son of a Jewish refugee in the Democratic Republic of Congo has emerged as a flashpoint for a political crisis that is threatening the integrity of the massive African country.
Anyone teaching the past by skipping over the unpleasant parts isn’t teaching history. They are engaged in propaganda.
There’s an entire global industry dedicated to vilifying and isolating Israel, the world’s only Jewish-majority nation.
Where’s the outrage?
There’s a misconception that gap-year-type programs are just for 18-year-olds. My experience with Masa Israel Journey’s Destination Israel Fast Track Pro is proof that working in Israel, in community and with a strong safety net, is an amazing opportunity even if you’ve already launched your career.
There are six fast days in the Jewish calendar year. Two are very serious and are 25-hour fasts, namely Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av. The other four fasts are morning until evening only.
Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from Rabbi Grussgott’s sermon at Kehilath Israel Synagogue on May 29th.
